The Las Vegas Raiders spent $281.5 million in Day 1 free agency commitments with a roster plan built around one assumption: Maxx Crosby’s $30 million base salary was gone. It isn’t anymore.
Raiders Cap Space After the Maxx Crosby Collapse
The Raiders entered free agency with an NFL-most $95.5 million in effective cap space, per Over The Cap. The moment the Crosby trade was agreed upon, that number surged. Over The Cap projected Las Vegas would have $121.7 million in cap space once Crosby’s $30 million base salary came off the books, the most in the league by a wide margin.
John Spytek spent accordingly, committing $281.5 million across seven deals on the first day of free agency: Tyler Linderbaum (3 years, $81 million), Kwity Paye (3 years, $48 million), Quay Walker (3 years, $40.5 million), Nakobe Dean (3 years, $36 million), Jalen Nailor (3 years, $35 million), Eric Stokes (3 years, $30 million), and Malcolm Koonce (1 year, $11 million).
Now the Crosby trade is void, and his cap number is back. All of that being said, PFSN currently projects the Raiders to have around $37 million in 2026 cap space, a figure that already accounts for both free-agent commitments and Crosby’s returned salary. It is important to note that these contracts are fluid and that the number is subject to change.
That’s still manageable, and the verbal agreements made during the tampering period aren’t going anywhere. However, they will still need to sign their draft picks, which will cost around $12.5 million. They also have $206 million committed in guaranteed money.
The #Raiders are in a position where they could take back Maxx Crosby’s contract and still bring in all the big deals they agreed to over the last few days — more than $280M in total contracts — without being in a cap crunch.
The likelihood is they attempt to trade him again.… https://t.co/xxtQzm6b3Y
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) March 11, 2026
It is unlikely the team would bail on its Day 1 free agency deals even with Crosby’s cap number technically back on the payroll. But the Raiders went from operating with a war chest to navigating a significantly tighter ledger before the league year even opens Wednesday.
The more tangible hit is the draft. The Ravens will get their first-round picks back, with Crosby set to remain a Raider at least for now. Las Vegas loses Baltimore’s No. 14 overall pick, which Spytek likely already factored into the rebuild around Fernando Mendoza.
What Comes Next for Crosby and the Raiders’ Rebuild
The Raiders don’t have the luxury of patience here. A potential 2027 first-round pick may no longer be attainable for Crosby in a new trade, given he is entering an age-29 season. Both Micah Parsons and Khalil Mack were traded at 26 and 27, respectively. The failed physical also weakens Las Vegas’s leverage with every other interested team. Any franchise that calls about Crosby now is starting the conversation with the same MRI report the Ravens just walked away from.
There’s a scenario where this works in the Raiders’ favor. If Crosby’s knee heals cleanly and he returns to full health by training camp, Las Vegas runs back a trade with terms that reflect cleared medical concerns. He’s still one of the best edge rushers in football when healthy. He recorded 10 sacks and a career-high 28 tackles for loss in 2025 while playing on a torn meniscus.
A team willing to bet on the recovery could still send significant capital to Las Vegas. But that deal gets done on different terms than two unprotected first-rounders, and it likely doesn’t happen until Crosby demonstrates functional health in workouts or practices.
The other scenario is messier. Crosby is frustrated with the organization; his departure was public and emotional, and now he’s back in a building he wanted to leave. Crosby posted a 13-minute video on social media bidding farewell to Las Vegas and expressing excitement for Baltimore, then posted on Instagram Tuesday that he was already in the city. There’s no clean reset from that. Spytek has a rebuild to run, a No. 1 pick coming in April, and a 28-year-old pass rusher whose trade value just dropped and whose relationship with the franchise is complicated at best.
Klint Kubiak’s first offseason as a head coach was supposed to follow a straight line: trade Crosby, bank the capital, build around Mendoza with cap room and picks. The physical broke that line. Las Vegas still has legitimate flexibility and a strong draft position, but the plan now requires a rewrite that nobody in that building wanted to make on a Tuesday night in March.
